Entertainment Editor-at-Large, Los Angeles

Nod to the past ... the Christmas episode contains plenty of references for longstanding fans.

Warning: contains spoilers.

Just three words, but in the world of Doctor Who, they make a universe of difference. If you're planning to watch the Doctor Who Christmas special, The Snowmen, then maybe you shouldn't be reading this.

Unless you're looking for a hint as to what's in store, in which case, brace yourself, because it's genuinely scary in the best Doctor Who tradition. Hide behind the sofa scary, like the weeping angels or, once upon a time, even the dreaded daleks.

Genuinely scary ... The Snowmen.

It should come as no surprise that the show's writer/producer Steven Moffat wrote this episode. It does what he does so brilliantly: takes something entirely simple and benign - in this case, a snowman - and turns it into something creepy and sinister, which hides in the shadows, or the corner of your eye, or both.

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In the BAFTA, Hugo and Constellation-award winning episode Blink Moffat effortlessly turned graveyard statues into the whatever-you-do-do-not-blink-or-they-will-kill-you "weeping angels". (The episode was also voted the second best episode of all time by Doctor Who fans.)

In this episode, we have snowmen transformed from traditional Christmas icon - Frosty, anyone? - to a menace, controlled by a central "great" intelligence which nods back to the earliest years of Doctor Who: 1967's The Abominable Snowmen and 1968's Web of Fear.

Guest appearance ... Richard E. Grant.

In fact, this is a Christmas special which takes a number of bows to the history of Doctor Who. And it's a timely bow - as 2013 is the show's 50th anniversary.

It has a new opening title sequence with slightly re-arranged title music - composed by Ron Grainer, and arranged by Murray Gold based on the original arrangement by Delia Derbyshire and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.

It is also the first time since the "original" Doctor Who series - you know, the one with the slightly lower budget which was produced by the BBC between 1963 and 1989 - that the Doctor's face has featured in the opening title sequence.

The Snowmen is the first Christmas special since the first which doesn't seem to borrow heavily from literature - think 2010's A Christmas Carol and 2011's The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe.

Which is not to say it's entirely self-contained. In fact, The Snowmen is splitting at the sides with nods and references, though most will slip by most viewers. They're there largely to give Doctor Who fans a belated Christmas feast.

There's a new TARDIS console room. There have been almost as many console rooms as there have been Doctors - notable mentions here for the Hartnell "mad inventor" console room, the gothic McGann console room, and the modern "coral" theme of the Eccleston/Tennant era.

This new console room echoes a little of the high-tech console which was featured during Peter Davison and Colin Baker's runs as the Doctor. A little smoother, a little cleaner, less exposed technology.

There's also a lovely moment when the Doctor (Matt Smith) dons a deerstalker cap and cape, a double nod to both Moffat's other hit show, the BBC's Sherlock, and to an earlier chapter of Doctor Who, 1977's The Talons of Weng-Chiang, in which Tom Baker's Doctor donned a deerstalker cap and cape in Victorian London.

It also has some formidable celebrity firepower - guest star Richard E. Grant as Dr Simeon, the sinister man who has grown out of the little boy who speaks to snowmen in the episode's opening sequence. (Grant, curiously, also played the Doctor, back in 1999, in a charity comedy sketch titled The Curse of the Fatal Death which is much-loved by fans.)

It also features Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit star Ian McKellen, though he does not appear in person. McKellen lends his voice to the "great intelligence".

All told The Snowman is a strong Doctor Who episode. Jenna-Louise Coleman, who we first met as Oswin Oswald in Asylum of the Daleks, returns as Clara Oswald, presumably an ancestor. In true Moffat style, we finish the episode knowing a little more, and whole lot less, about her.

It also finishes with a super-teaser trailer for the second half of the show's seventh season, which will air in 2013. Here fans will find all manner of delights: icebergs, sontarans, cybermen and even more faceless aliens. All up, a Christmas gift which keeps giving.

* Doctor Who: The Snowmen airs Boxing Day, 7:30pm on ABC1.

16 comments

I have to say, best introduction to a new companion (and my first ep was The Eleventh Hour so Amy was my first companion, before going back to watch all the other ones).

The one word response scene was Moffatt at his writing best. Wow!

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Jason

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December 26, 2012, 3:32PM

As someone who saw the first episode in 1963 I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly episodes. This sounds like it should one of the good ones. Having a young(er) Doctor opens the realms of possibilities such as action sequences (William Hartnell would have been lucky to walk briskly), sexual tension (let's not even contemplate Patrick Troughton having a dalliance) and dialogue.

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albervin

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December 26, 2012, 3:38PM

On my bucket list is to see that the Doctor has a dalliance with someone of the same gender before I die. I think the world is still way too homophobic for that wish to come true....Unfortunately!!

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Skuze Me!

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December 26, 2012, 8:27PM

I much prefer a William Hartnell character really old and grey, with all his charm than some young stud muffin with a Tween on his arm. The original movies were portrayed with a befuddled Doctor his grand daughter about 8 years old and a young couple. These days it's all computer enhanced and "pretty" losing some of it's original charm. As for Troughton even now I can remember Jamie the Scottish male companion in his kilt how could you forget that, however long live Dr Who, the Darleks and the Cybermen.

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Pickled Herring

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Frankston

Date and time

December 27, 2012, 6:44AM

C'mon Skuze Me! can't we have just one TV show not pushing the gay agenda?

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Adrian of Dapto

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December 27, 2012, 11:21AM

Yeah. Genuinely scary if you're eleven or under.

But then Dr Who has always been a children's show.

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kosh

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December 26, 2012, 7:37PM

Excellent episode, and as Jason noted, a phenomenal introduction to a new companion. But "genuinely scary", Michael Idato? We sat and watched the episode with our four-year-old daughter who didn't bat an eyelid and certainly didn't dive behind the sofa. Suggest you use more of your own words when writing a story and less from a BBC press release.

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Woz

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Albury

Date and time

December 26, 2012, 7:45PM

Just watched it then! Amazing Jenna Louise Coleman is gorgeously adorable with some awesome witty lines!.. I thought I recognised that disembodied voice!

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Dave

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Canberra

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December 26, 2012, 7:54PM

It was brilliant and certainly tantalising for viewing the 2013 series. Can't wait! :)

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Robyn

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December 26, 2012, 8:31PM

This was a sensational episode, scary parts but nothing like the Angels, lots of laugh out load moments and the one word answers was brilliant writing. It sets up the remaining episodes of the series wonderfully and I can' t wait to learn more about Clara (or Oswil) and clearly the Great Intelligence Institute is going to make another appearance. Well done to the ABC for screening this within 24 hrs of showing in the UK.